University of Cornwall News
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This news archive began life in support of the initial Cornwall Campus
Project and the original choice (now defunct) of Penzance as the campus
location (arrived at through a fair and honourable contest at the time),
The following more recent news items while heralding a new beginning to
further education in Cornwall are also an extended epilogue for the original
project and this unofficial record of events. News may appear here occasionally
but the primary purpose of this web site is now that of a historical record
of the initial project. For current information on the Combined Universities
in Cornwall initiative (CUC) see the official site at http://www.ex.ac.uk/cuc/.
OTt has no connection with any persons or bodies directly involved in
the now defunct University of Cornwall Initiative or its
successor, The Combined Universities in Cornwall initiative (CUC).
These documents are provided solely as an information service in the public
interest.

The following news item by Clare Morgan appeared in today's Western Morning
News:

Cornwall Gets University Cash

The FINAL major piece of funding that guarantees the building of Cornwall's
first university has been secured.

The £44.8 million is the last piece in the jigsaw for a project which an
economic impact study has estimated will generate £32 million a year for Cornwall's
gross domestic product (GDP) and create an extra 1,000 jobs.

The funding is officially due to be announced this morning. Falmouth and
Camborne Labour MP Candy Atherton said: "I am absolutely delighted. We are
already seeing the benefits of the embryonic university and this final funding
will see the transformation of the economic and social fortunes of the Falmouth
and Penryn area."

The CUC is regarded as the key project for Objective One in the county. Those
driving the scheme through have high hopes that it will encourage graduates
to stay and work in Cornwall, increasing employment and the overall wealth
of the county.

The South West Regional Development Agency (SWRDA) has demonstrated how important
it believes the CUC is for the county by contributing £12.78 million to the
£44 million package, of which £10.6 million will go towards building the university
hub at Penryn, with the remainder earmarked for future CUC development.

Drawings for phase one of the £40 million main campus building at Tremough,
Penryn, have already been released. The roof of part of the 20,000-square-metre
campus has been designed as a fully accessible series of landscaped terraces
stepped down the side of the hill and will be planted with local species,
grasses and shrubs.

Stephen Bohane, head of operations for SWRDA in Cornwall said: "This is SWRDA's
biggest investment in Cornwall to date and is a measure of how important we
regard the CUC as a catalyst for economic regeneration across the county."

1st August 2002

The following news brief appeared in today's The Cornishman:

University Boost

THE Combined Universities in Cornwall (CUC) project is to receive almost
£10 million of Objective One money to spend at the six Cornwall College
sites across the county.

The funding will enable Cornwall College to deliver a range of higher education
facilities to complement those that will be offered at the CUC's main campus
at Tremough near Penryn - where work on the £40 million main campus
building is expected to begin shortly.

The latest investment will create eight new buildings with the latest teaching,
computing and scientific equipment.

8th May 2001

The following is a summary of a news report that appeared in today's BBC
News Online:

Cornwall to get a university

Cornwall is to get its first university in a drive to keep local talent in
the region.

At present, about 90% of young people in Cornwall who take up places in higher
education leave the county and do not return.

The first intake of students is planned for the autumn of 2003.

The government has pledged £19m towards the scheme, which is also being
supported by the European Structural Fund.

The Education Secretary, David Blunkett, said the university represented
an opportunity for people of Cornwall to take up the challenge of lifelong
learning and improve their skills and job prospects.

"A low proportion of the workforce has vocational, professional or academic
qualifications," Mr Blunkett said.

"The new higher education places - which will be made available across
the county - will serve local people of all ages and help to raise aspirations
within the region.

"This innovative project will encourage closer links with industry and
business within the county, and the growth of industries that rely on highly
trained staff," he said.

Battle on for a proper university Editorial Comment -
United front boosts hopes for university - City Wins in Fight for Special
Funding - Second best option on university Editorial Comment
and Boost for county's hopes of university provision

Our starter for nothing! Editorial Comment - End of the
dream [Frustration and anger as Exeter University pulls the plug on Trereife
campus] - Other sites in the county are back in the race [Commitment to
the expansion of higher education] - Decision defended - Letter to the Editor
from Sir Geoffrey Holland - What they said about the university decision
- Councillor's bid to reverse the decision and Blunkett
back campaign for new university

This section is retained for historical interest. It is also a reminder
of what might have been had there been within Cornwall (and outside) more co-operation
and less division.

Drawings and designs for the new campus, produced by architectural consultants
Robert Rummey Associates and the Architects Design
Partnership were first published at the end of October 1996 in the
Western Morning News and The Cornishman. In
November 1996 a two day public exhibition of drawings and designs took place
with representatives from both the architectural and academic sides of the project
on hand to answer any questions.

The photograph below is one view of the architecture's model of the central
area of the site. The plans show more facilities to the east and north. The
view is from the east, the bridge in the bottom left corner traversing the A30
Penzance to Land's End road.

Two further versions of the same image are available, both specifically 'tuned'
for screen display...

Document preparation: Chris Salter, Original
Think-tank, Cornwall, United Kingdom.
Comments and suggestions are more than welcome and should be directed along
with any problem reports to webdesign@originalthinktank.org.uk
Document Reference: <URL:http://www.originalthinktank.org.uk/archive/uoc/index.html>
Last modification: 15th September 2002
Last information content change: 15th September 2002